Cardona suffers from acute respiratory issues, depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder after working at the World Trade Center site in 2011.

He entered the U.S. illegally in 1986 from Santiago de Cali, Colombia. He was convicted in 1990, when he was 21, of attempted criminal sale of a controlled substance. He has lived crime-free since then, and the pardon should allow him to fight deportation, Cuomo said.

"In the more than 30 years since Carlos Cardona has lived in this country, he has built a family and given back to his community, including in the aftermath of 9/11 when he assisted with ground zero recovery efforts at the expense of his own health," Cuomo said. "It is my hope this action will not only reunite Mr. Cardona with his wife and daughter but also send a message about the values of fairness and equality that New York was founded upon."